leijiversefandomcom-20200213-history
Galaxy Express 999 Chapter 01: Departure Ballad
''Departure Ballad ''is the debut chapter of the manga series ''Galaxy Express 999'' and is the first chapter in the Andromeda edition. The chapter was originally in three separate parts, spanning three weeks, but collected as one whole in the tankōbon release. Plot summary Out in the depths of space, the Galaxy Express 776 is on its way to Megalopolis Station.. A young boy and his mother, walking through a brisk cold, see this train. The boy dreams of going to Megalopolis. His mother tells him with a mechanical body, he will never have to worry about the cold. Suddenly, the boy's mother is struck down, and she tells young Tetsuro to somehow get on that train and get to the station with her dying breath. Out in the distance, two men on horseback, one with a mechanical face, collect the remains of the body. Tetsuro wakes up, and is greeted by a woman who looks mysteriously similar to his mother. She introduces herself as Maetel, and presents Tetsuro exactly what he wants: a pass to ride on the Galaxy Express 999! However, Tetsuro still has revenge on his mind, and sets out to find where the man who killed is mother resides. Tetsuro storms into the machine known as Count Mecha's house, and ambushes him and his lackies. Beaten, Mecha pleads for Tetsuro not to damage his brain, as it will lead to an instant death. As he sees his mother's body used a trophy on the wall, Tetsuro pierces Mecha's brain with his gun, as he promises his mother he will receive a mechanical body. He burns the mansion to the ground. Maetel is waiting right outside, and the newly formed duo travel to a hotel just outside the station. As they enter, a smoke bomb is thrown inside! Tetsuro's pass is gone! Maetel is able to find another one, this time with no name on it. The two return to the hotel, where Maetel is heard speaking to a mysterious voice about the boy she has met..Tetsuro questions her, but Maetel assures him that he was just hearing things. The two arrive at the station, and board the 999! The first person Tetsuro encounters is a woman who is sleeping, who eerily speaks of arriving on Andromeda..Suddenly, the woman reveals a gun, and says she has changed her mind, and doesn't want to go! Maetel tells her that once you are, you cannot leave. The woman fires her gun, and is promptly escorted off by the conductor, and thrown off the train. Curious as he may be, the excitement still overwhelms Tetsuro. The first stop is Mars.. Differences between the anime and manga *In the anime, there is a dramatic scene where Mecha takes aim at Tetsuro's mother and guns her down. In the manga, he isn't seen until his comrade picks up her body. *In the anime, Tetsuro is forced to escape quickly from Mecha's mansion by police and police dogs. In the original, Maetel is just sitting outside waiting for him. *In the anime, Tetsuro and Maetel are forced to escape from the hotel by police that followed them from Mecha's house. *In the anime, the scene involving the smoke bomb and Tetsuro losing his pass is removed. *In the anime, the scene involving the woman who is eventually thrown of the train is removed. *One of the most jarring and frankly uncomfortable moments is Tetsuro's mother being used as a trophy in Count Mecha's house. This was removed from the anime, but was used in the film version. *In the manga, there is no scene where Tetsuro looks at the harsh reality of those without mechanical bodies.